We welcome NBA basketball into our homes on Christmas Day each year, and for more than a decade that meant watching Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Well, this year, an injury-plagued one for Bryant, will be the first time we won't see the Lakers star take the court since 1997, which was only his second year in the league. Bryant is now in his 18th NBA season.

Over the course of 16 seasons with a Christmas Day game, Bryant has made many memories, with his 2004 matchup with Shaquille O'Neal's Miami Heat sort of setting forth the craze that surrounds the matchups to this day.

Here's a look at Bryant's top 10 Christmas moments, and a few key matchups over the years.